Nougat trains

The Associazione Ferrovie in Calabria, with the patronage of the Municipality of Bagnara Calabra, Fondazione FS Italiane and thanks to the availability of Trenitalia's Calabria Regional Business Division, launches a new, unprecedented initiative of the Viaggia in Treno e Scopri la Calabria project.

On 17 and 26 December 2023, after the great summer successes of "Il Treno degli Dei", it will be possible to reach Bagnara Calabra from Cosenza, Lamezia Terme Centrale, Reggio Calabria Centrale and intermediate stops with The Nougat Trains, a special opportunity to discover the history and artisan production processes of the product of excellence, now known and appreciated all over the world, with the convenience of leaving the car at home, using the Regional train from the main towns served by the Tyrrhenian railway line. A guided tour with transfers from Bagnara railway station organised by bus thanks to the collaboration with the transport company Star-Bus by Soldano, which will accompany travellers to the Cardone - Cundari and Careri nougat factories that are part of the Consortium that established the Torrone PGI di Bagnara Calabra brand.

Here, travellers will be able to watch the production phases, take part in the tasting organised for the occasion, and purchase the exquisite product, the only nougat with the PGI mark in Italy and the only one with a crunchy paste in the whole of Europe. Travellers who purchase nougat from the aforementioned producers will receive a free surprise. The origins of Torrone di Bagnara date back to 1700, when the monks of the local Abbey were already experts in its production. After the birth of the first real factory in the mid-nineteenth century, the history of Bagnara's nougat factories developed through the many family-run workshops that set the standard, creating over the centuries a unique manual culture in the processing of this product, which differs from other nougats mainly due to its special processing techniques, even reaching the royal banquets of the Savoy family, thanks to Queen Margherita.

The tour will also include a visit to the artistic ceramics factories in the Pellegrina hamlet and the itinerary organised by the Caravilla Cultural Association at the "Piccolo Museo del Borgo" in Porelli di Bagnara. There will also be an opportunity to taste delicious fish-based recipes, another excellence of the Pearl of the Costa Viola, and pizza, thanks to the menus proposed by the caterers affiliated with the event. After a pleasant stroll through the Christmas atmosphere of the city centre and along the seafront, the tour will end with a visit to the Mechanical Artistic Crib set up by the "Rione Inglese" Voluntary Association near the railway station.